When You Imagine
by Ivach
Summary: While it may seem that life is set in stone. What can really happen when you just imagine? A tale of the rekindling of a friendship, and the power of imagination.
1. Chapter 1 When You Believe

**Chapter 1  
When You Believe**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bridge to Terabithia, or any of its characters.**

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The lush greens of the forest hindered sunlight upon it's roots on an ordinary afternoon. The sun shone bright, but it was not a cheerful day at the kingdom of Terabithia. News had spread among the inhabitants, a tragic news indeed. Word has it that the Queen has passed on. A terrible loss indeed. Oh, the sorrow the King would probably feel. What would become of their highness? A king without a queen? What indeed...

Rummaging sounds echoed from atop the tree house. Things were pushed aside, some taken. The lonely figure inside raged across anything he could get his hands into. Then he came across it. Something that once thrilled him. Yet it pained him to even look at it now. He grabbed what's left of the tubes of paint and climbed down the tree house. The rope ladder shook violently as he did.

Where was he going, he didn't know. He just needed a way, a way to direct all this guilt, all this sorrow that he felt. He kept on running until his feet weighed him down. And that was where he stopped. The river. Once again he could not control his tears, as they flowed down his face. Frustrated, he squeezed as hard as he could, the tubes of paint, down the river. It flowed, much like his tears, as they are washed away by the current, the unforgiving current. Just when he was free from any other sound other than his own, one came.

"JESSSS!!"

The sound echoed in his mind, deep and lasting. He was sure he had heard it .Loud and clear. There was no mistaking it. Within the dead silence of the forest, he heard it. A voice calling out to him. He wiped away his tears. His heartbeat quickened as he frantically searched for the source of the noise. Could it be?

"Leslie!" Jesse half expected an answer. But there was none. His heart began to weigh down almost instantly. Was it not Leslie that he heard? Was it just his mind playing tricks on him? He tried his best to erase the doubt from his mind as he broke of into a run, swerving between trees and the branches protruding outwards. His heart was thumping more and more loudly, with each second that passed.

"Leslie?!" He shouted again, but this time with more uncertainty. Nothing went through his mind, other than the pure insanity that was messing up any sense of rationality he had left. Leslie was dead. Yet, somewhere deep inside him, there was a lingering feeling that he wanted to believed, that Leslie wasn't gone. She couldn't. Or shouldn't. _If only I had invited her to the museum with us. _That one thought sent tears of regret streaming down his face. It was all his fault! His selfish actions that led to her tragic fate.

And now he was desperate to hold on to something, anything that could bring Leslie back. Even as to latch on to the possibility that she was right here in Terabithia, calling out his name. Where he would then find her, and be pulled into an immersive imagination of Terabithia, a land so vast and beautiful with its wonders and adventures. And it would all only belong to them, and no one else, not Maybelle, not their parents, not anyone. It belonged to them both.

He stopped dead in his tracks, as these thoughts flooded his head. Finally admitting defeat that he had simply imagined the voice. His face was still drenched in tears, while he stood there, in self pity.

"You are such a crybaby, Jess."

He froze. That voice..

"Leslie?"

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_A fanfiction that I was inspired to write. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. First chapter seems rather generic, but I promise you that the following chapters will be much more interesting. Please read and review._


	2. Chapter 2 When You Don't Want To Let Go

**Chapter 2  
When You Don't Want To Let Go  
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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bridge to Terabithia, or any of its characters.**

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The forest was silent, with the occasional rustling of leaves and branches. His back was bent over, gasping for breath from all the running. It was hard to stop, not just because he was exhausted. His cries caused his gasps to be mixed with snivels every now and again. But the main reason was that he didn't want to turn around just yet, afraid of disappointment.

Afraid? That was a funny thought. What was he afraid of? Maybe if he turned around, it wouldn't be Leslie?

Yeah, perhaps. It might just be Maybelle, or someone else. Leslie was dead, how could she be right behind him at this moment? Yet, his thoughts can't help but drift away to what Leslie would use to say. 'Nothing Crushes Us!' Those words rang loud and clear in his mind. He forced a smile. It would take something more to take down Leslie, that's for sure.

Feeling the strength return to his legs, he eased himself up. He wiped the tears off his face, before finally turning around.

The sun shone in his face brightly, he winced and shielded his eyes with his hands. Then everything came into view. Short, wavy, blonde hair that almost went down to her shoulders. The clothes that only she would wear, and that smile. Oh, that smile. He stood there for a moment, taking it all in. No doubt at all, that was...

"Leslie." He smiled at her. It felt so weird, being able to call out her name again. Tears started to well up in his eyes again, he just couldn't contain his happiness.

"Are you gonna cry again, Jesse Aarons?" She teased. "Come on! This place isn't safe from the prying eyes of the Dark Master." And with that, she sped off.

"W-wait!" He started, before zipping along after her.

When he arrived at the tree house, she was already halfway up the rope ladder. Boy, can she run, he thought silently. Thought it's been only a day, he almost forgot that she was the fastest kid in the 5th grade. He felt a twinge of guilt then. Admittedly after having thought that Leslie was dead, he shamefully considered himself to be the fastest kid in the 5th grade. Halfway up the ladder, he heard Leslie's voice.

"Jesse! Come quick!"

He quickened his climb and saw Leslie standing amidst the mess in the tree house.

"Our castle has been raided!" She proclaimed. He shifted nervously on the spot, wondering how was he supposed to explain this. 'I made a mess of the place in fury because I thought you were dead?' Even in his head he knew it sounded stupid. "Err..."

"Probably the work of the Dark Master's minions." She said, cutting him off.

"R-right." He agreed just to avoid an awkward explanation.

Perhaps to Leslie this was just another ordinary day in Terabithia, but to him he just couldn't help but feel a bit nervous or weird. Just a few moments ago, he had thought Leslie was dead.

"We'll need to search around for clues."

"And for tracks outside as well." He added, starting to get into it. God. Leslie always had this effect on him. He was braver, stronger, he felt like anything is possible with her around.

All of the hesitations that he had before vanished. He was back.

Terabithia seemed much more sunnier that day, where they lost themselves in playing detectives. Even so, matters in Terabithia were always made so alive by Leslie that he just couldn't help but imagine that all of this was real. The day went by, much of it spent with the usual intensity and fun that Leslie's imagination always brought. It was close to evening when Leslie decided to call it a day.

"It's getting late. We should head back."

"Yeah."

"Today's expedition might have been fruitless," She said in her most Therabithian voice. "But we won't let them off. Right, Jess?"

"Right." He smiled.

"Come on, race you to the rope."

"You're on."

As he was running alongside her, he felt a sudden feeling of dread. He then realised. Hadn't the rope broke? What was the story behind about that as well? Lost in his thoughts, he didn't realise that they had reached the rope. Sure enough, the rope was broken. He turned to ask Leslie, but she was gone.

"Leslie?"

He hadn't realised that she wasn't here. He looked around and retraced his steps. But still he couldn't find her. Perhaps she's gone home before him already? It didn't cross his mind that that was rather impossible, seeing as she was just beside him a moment ago. Deciding that all was well, he started off home. He went straight up to bed that night, reflecting on such a wonderful day in Terabithia. Even his parents and sister didn't pester him as much as usual as they thought he was devastated by Leslie. Perhaps he would play on with this for just a little longer. And with a deep sense of satisfaction. He drifted off to sleep.

He woke up early the next morning, and went down to breakfast. He was feeling unusually cheerful, and decided to take advantage of his situation to help himself to extra servings of pancakes.

His sisters eyed him with a bit of disgust, especially Ellie and Brenda.

"Look at him, Mom! Still eating so happily!" She said in disgust. "If I were him I would be totally devastated!"

He ignored her. Deep inside his heart he felt a sense of power that he knew something that they all didn't. He ate more pancakes, while all his sisters looked at him, some worriedly, others angry.

He could hear the sound of his Dad's pickup entering the driveway. Sure enough, moments later he entered the kitchen. He then went and gave mom a peck on the cheek, and then they started talking. He and mom seemed to be discussing something. Jess looked at them, they were occasionally glancing at him as well. Soon, they stopped.

"Jess." They both said simultaneously.

He looked up.

"Your mother and I are going over to the Burkes to pay our respects, and we think you should come to the funeral as well."

"What funeral?"

They both looked at each other worriedly.

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_I almost forgot about this fanfiction. I've always had trouble finishing what I start, but this time I'm determined. I've been itching to start writing again as well, so here it is._


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